Eco-Reawakening

DAYSPA checks in with Awaken Spa to get some easy, green-redesign starting points!

by Katie O'Reilly

Awaken Wellness & Rejuvenation Spa

Upping your business’ green profile via an eco-friendly makeover isn't just a nice thing to do for the environment, it could also substantially increase your spa’s value! That was the case for Dr. Michael Lau, owner of Awaken Wellness & Rejuvenation Spa in Tulsa, Oklahoma—who's featured in DAYSPA's November issue.

The story was so popular with readers, we decided to go deeper into a few of Lau's major eco-upgrades, should you desire to do the same. (For more inspiration, check out Awaken's full story and slideshow here!)

1. Bamboo-ifying Lau’s team ripped out all of Awaken’s old carpeting and replaced it with strandwoven bamboo floors from Sustainable Flooring. Bamboo is durable, attractive, relatively easy to install and packs a two-punch green advantage over traditional wood floors—not only does the plant retain more carbon than trees such as maple and oak, it's also a renewable, fast-growing grass that quickly regenerates after harvest. Looking to bring bamboo to your spa? Try Cali Bamboo Wood Flooring,Higuera Hardwoods, Plyboo or Eco Timber. Lau also used dark bamboo panels on his walls.

Another flooring tip? “We put a quarter-inch layer of cork underneath the floors to absorb shock and make them softer to walk on,” Lau says. (Cork tree fibers are naturally renewable!) Most bamboo flooring companies can also supply you with cork.

2. Installing tectum After raising Awaken’s ceiling beams for a more open feel, Lau put tectum panels behind the ceiling panels for sound absorption. The cementitious wood fiber panels muffle sound, provide added insulation and are manufactured from renewable straw and wood, making them eco-winners. Try Tectum or AcoustiGuard.

3. Pouring concrete Lau installed concrete countertops and painted them with low-VOC, midnight blue paint. “Unlike granite, which is cost-prohibitive, concrete isn’t a limited resource,” he explains. “Plus it could easily be shaped just how we wanted it—the molds were set and poured on-site.” Interested in shaping your own sustainable surfaces? Try Concrete Solutions or The Construction Factory.

4. Recyclable Tiling To muffle sound in treatment rooms, Lau installed recycled carpet tiles from Tandus Flooring. Such tiles are often made from water bottles and other remelted plastic, and colored with natural pigments. And, when you’re done with them, they can be recycled again! Also look into DuraSquares, GreenFloors or Flor.